Disposing of a camping gas cylinder is very important for UK residents. Gas cylinders contain flammable, corrosive, and toxic gases that can cause severe injuries and damages.
According to UK’s Environment Agency (EA) and Health & Safety Executive (HSE), gas cylinders that contain residual gas are hazardous waste. It’s worth pointing out that if you have bought the gas cylinder from a national or local provider, they will usually be more than happy to take the empty bottle back and return your deposit.
In today’s article, we will tell you how to dispose of a camping gas cylinder if the above option is unavailable and disposal is the only option. Here are the steps:
Empty the Camping Gas Cylinder
A local council or disposal company/centre won’t accept the cylinder if it contains potentially explosive or pressurised fuel This rule is similar to flammable aerosol cans that people wish to dispose of.
Take your cylinder outside to fully drain any residual gas. Bear in mind that the final fraction of gas burns slowly due to low pressure.
Therefore, take your time to empty the cylinder completely. Keep the valve open even after the cylinder’s burner flame sputters out. That way, you can ensure escaping of final residual vapours.
Puncture the Empty Cylinder
Once you have emptied the cylinder properly, puncture it to ensure the disposal centre in your local area can crush it safely.
You can puncture the camping cylinder in various ways. For instance, you can use a church-key can opener.
Lever the tool against the cylinder’s bottom rim to puncture it. Likewise, you can use a hammer and nail to get the job done. Make sure you place a cloth or rag over the cylinder to avoid generating a spark.
Once you have punctured the cylinder, label it using a permanent marker as “punctured,” “empty,” or “ready for disposal.”
Take your time to dent or crush the cylinder, allowing the disposal or recycling centre to handle it safely.
Do your Research
Finding a disposal centre in your local area that accepts camping cylinders is a daunting task. Disposal centres or recycling programs in the UK vary depending on your location. It has significant implications for how you can dispose of spent camping cylinders. Scrap metal dealers will also be interested assuming they bottle is entirely empty.
Find out whether it is possible to dispose of a camping cylinder in your local area. Some disposal centres do not accept gas cylinders made of steel.
That’s why we suggest you call your local council or browse its official website to explore the gas cylinder disposal section. That way, you can find information and take the disposal steps accordingly.
If you have a heavy propane camping gas cylinder, it is impossible to recycle it. The reason is that most recycling centres do not accept these types of cylinders.
It means a propane gas cylinder will end up in a landfill site. That’s the reason experts recommend using refillable cylinders to reduce the environmental impact.
Final Words
Disposing of a camping gas cylinder is easy if you do it once a camping season. The process is simple if you know how to keep a spent gas cylinder in a safe place at your home, the draining procedure, the crushing process, and sending all the cylinders to the disposal centre at the end of each camping season.
You can also sell the emptied gas cylinders at a local scrap yard to earn some money.
Although disposing of your cylinders is an eco-friendly practice, selling them can help you make money to use for your next camping trip.
